Overedging sewing-machine.



J. P. WEIS.

OVEREDGING SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. so, 1903.

990,410, Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5110011 {Ion W nk w sea J. P. WEIS. OVEREDGING SEWING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1903.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 awucnto'u J. P. WEIS. OVEREDGING SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIGAIION FILED JAN.30, 1903.

990,41 0, Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/ g-mnmmlw '1' m 11 15 JOHN P. WEIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO METROPOLITAN SEWING MACHINE COMIPLI-TY, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

OVEREDGING SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25,191 1.

Application filed January 30, 1903. Serial No. 141,101.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. l/VEIs, a citizen of the United States,residing in Brooklyn county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Overedging Sewing-ltlachines,of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to chain-stitch sewing machines, of the typewherein is usually employed a looper which enters the loop ofneedle-thread cast, or thrown-out, by the needle, and manipulates thesame in a manner to produce or form a single chainstitch.

Particularly, the invention relates to machines of the chain-stitch typecapable of making overedge or binding stitches.

The object of this invention is to provide a chain-stitch overedgingmachine 'which will be extremely simple in its mechanism; will employbut few cooperating parts, to produce its functions; will use the leastpossible quantity of thread in binding or overedging; and which will becapable of very high speed.

Another object of this invention'is to provide a chain-stitch machinewith a looper capable of operating close to the under side of thecloth-plate, or throat-plate, and engage the thread on the downwardmovementof the needle at a point and period of time much ahead of andbefore the time when a loop is ordinarily cast or thrownout by theneedle 111 the conventional chamstitch machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chain-stitch machinewith mechanism for engaging the needle-thread during the descent of theneedle, in contradistinct-ion to the cloth-plate may be controlled, aswell as the character of the movement of the spreader in its passagefrom below, up over the cloth-plate.

Other objects of this invention will appear during the course of thefollowing description, and upon them stress will be laid in order toclearly indicate the objects and purposes thereof.

Vith the above objects in view, the invention consists in the parts,elements and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a machine embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of said machine; Figs. 3, 4 and 5are views, intended to be merely diagrammatic, showing the three,principal positions of the needle, looper and spreader; Fig. 6 is asection, taken on the line 1 of Fig. 1, showing in detail the connectingdevice between the looper-actuating rod and the spreader-carrier; Fig. 7is a section on the line of Fig. 8, showing the construction of thethroat-plate; Fig. 8

is a plan of the cloth-plate, showing particularly the structure of thethroat-plate; Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the needle very muchenlarged; Fig. 10 is a cross-section thereof on the line 1()10, of Fig.9, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 11 is a side elevation ofthe needle very much enlarged; Fig. 12 is a cross section thereof on theline 12-12, of.Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 13is a rear elevation of the looper; Fig. 14 is a front elevation of thethread; also, thesimplestform of take up, e. g. a thread-guide securedto the upper end of the needle her; also, any simple thread-guide,between the tension and the needle-eye, for properly leading the threadto the latter, which may be found suitable. Moreover, any suitable formof resser-foot neehanismand any suitable form of feeding-mechanisin areemployed. Hence, it will be seen that this machine is'reduced to thevery simplest form and the least number of parts consistent with goodWork.

In the drawings 1, indicates the frame of the machine, it being herenoted that the cloth-plate has been omitted from Figs. 1 and 2, in orderto clearly disclose the stitchforming elements, the posts for supportingsaid plate being indicated by 1 2, indicates the needle-bar actuatinglever, oscillated on its fulcrum 3, by means of the eccentric strap androd r, driven by the usual eccentric on the main-shaft 5, of themachine.

6, is the needle-bar; 7, the needle; 8, the resser-bar; 9, thepresser-t'oot; 10 those portions of the feeding-mechanism which havebeen illustrated'in the drawings, and which constitute -a portion of themeans for giving longitudinal movement to the feed-bar.

The needle 7, is provided in its face with a longitudinal groove 11,extending from below its eye to its shank portion, this being usual. Inits back, the needle is grooved at 12, from its shank portion down tothe enlargement or raised portion 13, such raised portion, projection,or hump, being sufficiently prominent to cause the thread extendingacross the 'same to be separated from the body of the needle betweensaid hump and the eye of the needle 14, thus leaving between the threadand the body of the needle, and between the hump and the eye of theneedle, a space or opening into which the point of the hook of thelooper may enter to engage the needle-thread on the downward movement ofthe needle. Said hump may be rendered more. prominent'by depressing orscarfing the body of the needle above the eye, thus throwing the humpinto relief; but, this manner of forming the space, for the cooperationof the hook of the looper with the thread, is not essential, ,it beingonly necessary to so construct the needle that said hook will infalliblyengage the thread in the manner stated.

As willbe seen, upon reference to Figs. 10 and 12, the surface of thehump or enlargement is slightly flattened at 15, in order to provide arest for the thread in its passage along the needle and over the hump tothe eye of the needle.

The throat-plate 16, is provided with the usual feed-slot 17, and isalso provided with a tongue 18, over which the stitches are formed, andfrom the free end of which the loops slip during the/progress of thefabric under the action of the feed. A needle aperture 19, is providedin the throatplateat-one side of the tongue, and a notch or recess 20,is provided in the other side of the tongue. The throat-plate is alsoprovided, adjacent the tongue, with a finger 21,

extending oppositely to the tongue, and having a downwardly curved guard21*. The functions of this finger and guard and also the function of thenotch 2() ,"will be hereinafterfully set forth.

The form and structure of the looper are clearly shown in Figs. 13, 14and 15, and

therein the looper is shown provided with a stem 22, adapted as usual,to be inserted in the socket of the loopercarrier and to be held thereinby the usual binding screw. The bod of the looper is indicated by 23,and in tli is connection it may be noted that the body is that portionwhich extends from tudinally, while the back of the hook is quiteprominently convexed, or curved, at 28, from the point 26, t0 the planeof the depression 29. Furthermore, as seen by' Figs. 13 and 15, the hookis curved, or convexed, transversely at 30, from its top toapproximately its throat 31. v

v The depression 29, is made in the back of the body of the looper, atthe top-thereof and directly in rear, and at the base of the hook 25,this depression being for the reception ofthe spreader, the end of,which normally lies-or stands therein or adjacent thereto, in positionto engage the loop of needle-thread, extending from the eye of theneedle to and held by the hook in its throat, and extending therefromacross the back of the looperto' the work.

The body of the looper, on its face, just in front of the point of, thehook, is slightly beveled, slabbed, or rounded off at 32, for thepurpose of preventing the needle, in its descent, from engaging the bodyof the looper, which might result in turning the point of the needle orcausing it to glance in rear of the point of the hook. Moreover,

as the needle descends and its point passes the portion 32, of thelooper, the body of the looper below and forward of the slabbed portionat 32*, deflects the needle laterally so as to prevent the point of thehook from strikin the needle,--which would result in rupturing orinjuring the point of the hook and possibly, bending or breaking theneedle. is slightly rounded or curved, at 32, this form being given bypreference and not from necessity, to afford a nice. finish and. smoothengagement with; the strand of needle-thread, and also to provideagalnst At its tip, on its face, the looper any possibility of the tipof the looper engaging, objectionably, the body of the needle. The tipof the looper is also rounded vertically at its end, by preference, fors nice finish, and for avoiding angles which might objectionably engagethe strand of thread.

It will be noted that the thread-engaging hook of my looper is pointed,substantially,

1O longitudinally of the looper-body and in the direction of the shankthereof, this being one of the many peculiarities of the looperandconstituting one of its leading features, inasmuch as suchdisposition enables the hook to cooperate with the needle during thebackward movement of the looper and when the eye of the needle descendsonly a short distance below the cloth-plate, or throatplate, of themachine, and enables the hook thereof to engage the thread while theneedle is moving downwardly and long before it reaches its lowerextreme. Moreover, it will be noted that the hook of my looper isprojected vertically, or off-set, from the looper-body, thus enablingthe looper to'operate nearer the throat-plate, or cloth-plate, andrender it possible-for the point of the hook to engage the needle threadinstantly the eye of theneedle is below-the plane or path of operationof the said offset hook. This is a leading and important feature of myinvention. Again, it will be, noted the looper-body, in advance of thepoint ofthe hook, is much broadened where'the slabbed portion occurs,these features being provided to enable the needle to properly cooperatewith the point of the hook on account of ,the off-set disposition of thelatter from its body-portion; that is to say, as the needle 0 descendsand the point of the off-set hook approaches the thread-engagingposition, the slabbed portion 32 of the-looper presents itself forengagement by the needle, should the latter be bent or otherwisedeflected, thus insuring that the needle will descend in the proper pathand present its thread in proper position for accurate and certainengagement by the hook of the looper. Hence, it will be observed thatthough this looper is placed in its carrier in precisely the manner thatloopers are ordinarily placed therein, in conventional chain-stitchmachines, the thread engaging movement of the looper is its rearwardmovement, or what would ordinarily be the rearward movement of thelooper in the ordinary machine thus the looper engages the needle-threadon its backward instead of its forward, movement and obviates thenecessity of awaiting the usual slow retrograde movement on the part ofthe needle to throw out a loop. To

aid this action of the looper, the hump on the needle hasbeen provided,as above described, and over which the needle-thread 55 extends into theeye of the needle. An

' other important feature of this looper is the relation ofthe point ofthe hook to the body thereof, which relation is such as to insure theproper and accurate engagement of the point of the hook with theneedle-thread the instant the eye passes below the upper edge of thelooper-body or the under side of the throat-plate. Still anotherimportant feature of this looper is the forward extension, including thetip, which constantly guides the needle whileit is below the throatplateand prevents it at any time from springing into the path of or behindthe looper, during the stitch-forming operation, the same being at alltimes, after the hook has engaged; the needle-thread, in engage mentwith said needle. This extension also prevents the strand of theneedle-thread loop, .on the forward movement of the looper, which causessaid thread to become slack, from twisting or springing in front of thelooper in anymanner. This extension also prevents the hook from catchingthe thread in any other manner than as is intended, viz., on thebackward movement of the looper, and the downward movement of theneedle. Again, the slabbed, or beveled portion .in front of the hook ofthe looper, prevents the point of the needle from striking thelooperbody, and has the additional function of properly and surelydeflecting the needle into position for enabling the hook to engage theneedle-thread.

The form of the spreader is not of paramountimportance. It is essential,however, that the same be curved or so formed as to reach over the edgeof the throat-plate, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Herein, thespreader consists of the shank portion 33, seated and securely held inthe socket 34, of the spreader carrier 35.- The spreader is 3 formedwith a forwardly extending angular body-portion 36, having at itsforward end a forwardly extending, vertically and laterally curvedthread engaging finger 37; This form may be clearly seen in thediagrammaticviews as well as in Fig. 2.

The carrier for the spreader is pivoted to the upper end of a link 38,which latter at its lower end is pivoted at 39, to the upper end of thestandard/l0, of bracket-piece 41, secured to the frame by screws 42, and42*, passing through the base of bracket 41, and engaging the frame ofthe machine. In rear of its pivotal point' the carrier 35, is providedwith a rearwardly extending screwthreaded rod 35", adjustable in andconnected to the socket-piece 43, of a universal sistingof a screwhaving a depression in its end and adjustable in the screw-threadedboring in the end of the socket-piece, a jamnut 48, screwing onto theend of said bearing-screw and against the end of the socketpiece, forthe purpose of preventing longitudinal movement of the screw. The stem4.7, of the ball 46, is connected to a clamp 50, by any suitable means,such as the binding screw 51, and which clamp is adjustably secured byscrew 49, to the looper-actuating rod 52, connecting the looper-carrierwith the depending portion 53, of the needle-bar actuating lever 2, atits forward end said rod being suitably connected to the looper-can rier54, which in turn is journaled, for oscillation, upon the horizontalbearing 55, spitably supported by the frame of the manne.

The clamp 50, is adjustable longitudinally of the looper-actuating rod,and the socketpiece 43, of the universal joint is adjustablelongitudinally of the extension of the spreadencarrier. Hence, it willbe observed that the action of the spreader, according to the adjustmentof the connection between the same and the looper-actuating rod, can berendered more or less abrupt or precipitate in its vertical movementsand such vertical movement can be regulated in extent. fact, it is theobject of this invention to st) actuate thespreader-carrier as to giveto the spreader an angular movement consisting of a vertical movementand a forward, substantially horizontal movement, at a right-angle toits vertical movement, and also to regulate the amount of such verticalmovement as well as the'extent of the horizontal movement. These resultsare obtained and the effects produced by the connection between thelooper actuating-rod and the spreadercarrier as above described.Moreover, stress is laid upon the means for actuating thespreader-carrier, viz., a direct connection be- J tween the looperactuating-rod and the spreader-carrier, in contradistinction to aconnection between said spreader carrier and the depending arm of theneedlebar actuating lever, or any of the usual and complicated means foractuating said spreader.

' It will thus be seen that I have produced an overedging machineconsisting ofvery few parts and of exceeding simplicity.

The operation of the parts is as follows:

With reference to the diagram to Figs. 3, 4

and 5, it will be noted that three, principal positions are illustrated,Fig. 3, showing the looper in its, extreme forward position, thespreader in its extreme'forwar and upper position and the needle in itsextreme upper position; Fig. 4 showing the looper in position just afterengaging the needle-thread 60, the needle having just passed its eyebelow the upper edge of thelooper and its hump just below thethroat-plate, and the spreader moving backwardly after having depositedits thread around the shank of the needle; and Fig. 5 the extremerearward position of the looper, the extreme downward position of theneedle, and the extreme downward and backward position of the spreader.It is to be distinctly understood that these views are merelydiagrammatic, are much enlargech'and the parts very much separated forthe purpose of clearly showing the cooperation of the parts. In otherwords, it is to be understood that the hook of the looper operates rightclose up against the under side of the throat-plate, just as close as itis possible to adjust the same without contact therewith; that theneedle in its downward movement barely passes its hump below thethroat-plate before the hook engages its thread.

The parts are so timed that the needle hardly gets below the cloth-platebefore the hook on the looper, on its backward movement, engages theneedle-thread, as shown in Fig. 4, and carries it to its rearwardextreme and in position for the spreader to engage the same and carry itup over the edge of the work61. Thatis to say, the looper reaches itsextreme forward position, Fig-. 3, while the needle is above thecloth-plate, and begins to return to its rearward extreme at the sametime the needle begins to descend through the work. In the middle of thetravel of the looper the needle has descended below the cloth-plate andthehook of the looper has engaged the needle-thread, Fig. 4. In itsextreme rearward position, Fig. 5, the looper has carried the thread back into position for engagement by the spreader, which latter hasreached its downward and backward extreme and is lying with its point orfinger in the depression at the base of the hook preparatory. to risinginto engagement with the loop of needle-thread to carry the same up overthe edge of the work-and the cloth-plate; In its extreme forwardposition the spreader has carried the thread beyond the path of theneedle, and lies in front of the latter, the thread extending from thelast stitch made, back of the needle, over the finger on the. spreader,around in .front of the needle and, down to the under side of the workover the edge of the latter. I When the looper has reached its rearwardextreme, Fig. 5, and the spreader is about to ascend and carry the loopof needle-thread above the cloth-plate and over the edge of the work,the form of the loop is substantially triangular, viz., extending fromthe to the s reader, thus yielding the same without an ue strain for thepurpose of furnishing sufficient-for the overedging. When the spreaderhas reached its forward limit, the looper has likewise reached itsforward limit and the needle its upper limit, and as the needle descendsthe looper moves backward, and the spreader moves backward thus givingup the thread held thereby and allowing it to loosen and bow so that theneedle may surely penetrate the same. This strand of the loop nowsurrounding the needle, on the surface of the goods,and which extendsfrom the needle over the edge of the work to the under side thereof andto the last needle pu'ncture,being somewhat slack, is readily given upto the looper in its backward movement. Thus the overedge loop is drawnwith thejproper degree of tension upon the edge of the work. In order tosecure the spread of the two strands of the overedge loop on the edge ofthe work, the notch 20, in the outer edge of the tongue on thethroat-plate is provided. As the spreader carries theloop over the edgeof the work, the strand thereof lying in the direction of the feed, ornearest the last stitch made, is carried against the tongue just beyondthe notch, or between the latter and the '30 end'of the tongue', whilethe other strand of said loop is carried into thenotch. Hence, as thefeed takes place the strandof'thread first mentioned is carried along-fand caused to slide from the tongue, while the second strand mentionedis momentarily retained in and by the notch, or untilthe spreader hasreached its forward extreme, and is then drawn from said notch bythecontinued feed movement.

40 The downwardly depending guard or support 21*, of the finger 21, onthe throat-plate has no effect upon the loop or stitch during ,ordinarysewing; but in chaining-off, viz.,

' making a chain, or series, of stitches inde- 453 pendently of thework, the guard. becomes efleetive .to prevent the strand of the loop,extending from the. last stitch, or chain, to the hook of the looper,from falling downor being carried back from the position necessary forit to assume for the proper engage- *ment of the spreader therewith, incarrying the thread up over the edge of the throatplate. That is to say,when the work is being'stitched' it supports the strand of theloopextending from the last stitch, or chain,

' to the hook of the looper, and such strand is thus held in properposition for accurate engagement by the spreader; but, when chain-ving-ofi' is accomplished, the work has passed from the tongue 18 on thethroat-plate, the stitches are loosely formed over and readily slip fromthe said tongue, which neither retains nor supports said stitches, andthe latter are being formed into a chain, or connected series,independently of the work, the lat- I ter, in consequence, no longeraffording a support for .the strand as in overedging.

Hence, it is necessary to provide means, such as the support or guard21*, which will hold the said strand in substantially the manner thatthe work does, or so that the spreader can properly engage the same andcarry it over the edge of the tongue as in overedging the work. In thisoperation of chaining-oft,

'ing the notch therein in precisely the man ner as in ordinary sewing oroveredging.

Special attention is directed tothis function of my machine, as in theordinary chain-stitch machine or overedging machine chaining-01f cannotbe accomplished, the loops or stitches ordinarily becoming so entangledas to prevent the same. Attention is also directed to the value ofchaining-off in chain-stitch machines and in overedging ma- 9d chines;that is to say, when a piece of work has been finished, it is desirableto feed in another piece instantly and without stopping the" machine, orit may be necessary or desirable, after one piece of work has passedthrough the machine, to run in another piece without cutting theconnecting threads. These operations can be accomplished on my machinewithout breaking or entangling the threads. This is doubly important inhighspeed manufacturing machines, as it ena les the machines to be runby power continuously, resulting in a great saving of time and increasedoutput. It will thus be seen that, in addition .to the needle, looper,spreader and special form of throat-plate of my machine, necessary foroveredging, the guard or support 22 is the only feature essential to,-and practically constitutes, my

means for chaining-off. Moreover, attention Ila is directed to thecharacter of the'movement of the spreader, which is practically angularinstead of curved as is usual; that is to say, in engaging the threadand carrying it vertically the movement is precipitate as previouslynoted. The reverse movement of the spreader is along substantially thesame lines. This angular, or preci itate movement of the spreader is dueto t 1e particular manner of actuating the same, and the 1mportance ofsuch movement and of such actuating mechanism will be understood andappreciated when it is considered that the spreader may be located closeto the bottom of the.cloth-plate,and close to the edge of- 0 a thestitch-forming and feeding mechanism,

such gage being usual in overedge stitching machines.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The combination, in a sewing machine, of a reciprocatingthread-carrying needle; a looper confined to movement below thecloth-plate of the machine and having a thread-engaging hook; a spreadercooperating with'the looper below the cloth-plate and the needle abovethe cloth-plate; and

means for actuating the needle, looper and spreader so that thelooper-hook will take the needle-thread while the needle is movingdownwardly, and the spreader will take the said thread from the looperand carry it in loop form over the edge of the work into the path of theneedle, to form an overedge stitch.

2. The combination, in a sewing machine,

of a reciprocating thread-carrying needle; a

looper confined to movement below the clothplate of the machine andhaving a threadengaging hook; a spreader cooperating with the looperbelow the cloth-plate and the needle above the cloth-plate; and meansfor actuating the needle, looper and spreader so that the hook of thelooper, on the backward movement of the latter, and as the needle ismoving downwardly, will take the thread from the needle, and thespreader will take the thread from the looper and carry it, in loopform, over the edge of the work into the path of the needle, to form anoveredge stitch.

3. The combination, in 'a sewing machine, of a reciprocatingthread-carrying needle having an enlargement above its eye providing arest for the thread in its passage to the eye; a looper confined tooperate and co-' o erate with .the said needle below the clothp ate ofthe machine and having a hook pointing rearwardly; a spreaderco6perating with the needle above the cloth-plate and the looper belowthe cloth-plate; and means for actuating said needle, looper andspreader to cause the hook of the looper to i take the thread from theneedle between its eye and enlargement and during the backward movementof the looper, and the spreader to take the thread from the looper andto carry said thread, in loop form, over the edge of the work into thepath of the needle, to form an overedge stitch. v

*4. An overedging machine comprising a needle, a looper, and a spreader,the needle having an enlargement above its eye providing a rest for thethread in its passage to the eye, and the looper having a depression;and means for actuating the parts whereby the looper will take thethread directly from the needle between the eye and enlargement, and thes reader will operate in the'depression of the ooper to engage and carrythe said needle-thread over the edge of the work.

' 5. An overedgingmachine comprising a needle, a looper, and a spreader,the needle having an enlargement above its eye providing a rest for thethread in its passage to the eye, and the looper havin a hook pointingrearwardly and a depression at the base of the hook; and means foractuating the parts to cause the looper to take the thread directly fromthe needle between the eye andenlargement, and the spreader to cooperatewith the depression in the looper to engage and carry the saidneedle-thread over the edge of the work.

6. An overedging machine comprising a needle, a 100 er, and a spreader,theneedle having an en argement above its eye providing a rest for thethread in its passage to the eye, and the looper having a hook offsetfrom its body and a depression at the base of the hook; and means foractuating the parts tocause the looper-hook to take the thread directlyfrom the needle between the eye and enlargement, and the spreader toco.-

operate with the depression in the looper to engage and carry the saidneedle-thread over the edge of the work.

7. A sewing machinecomprisinga vertically reciprocating needle and anoscillating looper, the needle having means above its eye providing arest for the thread in its passage to the eye and to separate the threadfrom the needle above its eye, and the looper having a stem andbody-portion at substantially a right angle to each other and a hookvertically offset from and carried by the body-portion pointing towardthe stem; and means for actuating the parts to cause the hook, duringits backward movement, to take the thread directly from the needle aboveits eye. I

8. The combination, in a sewing machine, of a reciprocating needle; alooper, cooperatin with said needle; a spreader, co operating with saidneedle and looper; and

means for actuating the needle, looper and spreader, including areciprocating rod connected to the looper and a connection between saidrod and the spreader, said means causing the looper to take the "threadfrom the needle during the downward movement of the latter,.and causingthe spreader to take said thread from the looper andcarry the same, inloop form, over the edgeof the work into the path of the needle, to forman overedge stitch, said movement of the spreader occuring during theforward movement of the looper.

9. A sewing machine having stitch-formingmechanism comprising a needle,looper and spreader; means for actuating the several parts including areciprocating pitman connected with the looper; and a universal jointconnection between said pitman and the spreader for actuating thelatter.

-10. A sewing machine comprising a looper and actuating mechanism; aspreader; means connecting the spreader and looper actuating means; andmeans for adjusting said connection relatively to the looper actuv atingmeans.

11. The combination, in a sewing machine, of a reciprocatingthread-carrying needle; -a. looper, cooperating with the needle,confined to oscillations in a single curved path below the cloth-plateof the machine; a spreader, cooperating with the needle above and thelooper below the cloth-plate; and means for actuating the needle, looperand spreader to cause the looper to take the thread from the needle, andthe spreader to take the thread from thelooper and carry the same, inloop form, over the edge of the work into the path of the needle,thepat-h of movement of the spreader being from in rear of the looperbelow the cloth-plate, vertically over the latter to in front of theneedle.

' 12. The combination, in a sewing machine, of a reciprocatingthread-carrying needle; a looper cooperating with said needle; a

- spreader cooperating with said needle and looper; a' throat-plate,through which the needle reciprocates, having a tongue with a notch inits side; and means for actuating the needle, looper and spreader tocause the looper to take the thread from the needle and the spreader totake said thread from the looper and carry the same, in loop ,form,

over the edge'of the work, with one strand thereof into said notch andthe loop into the path of the needle. 7

13;- The combination, in a sewing machine, of a reciprocatingthread-carrying needle; a looper cooperating with said needle; aspreader cooperating with said needle and looper; a throat-plate,through which the needle reciprocates, having a depending,thread-supporting guard-finger; and means for actuating the needle,looper and spreader to cause the looper to take the thread from theneedle, and the spreader to take said thread from the looper and carrythe same, in 100p form, into the path of the needle, the saidguard-finger acting as a support for the thread.

14. A stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, looper, spreader, andactuating mechanism therefor, the needle having means above its eye forseparating the thread from its body, and the looper having aprojectinghook forenga-ging the needletliread; and a throat-plate having a tonguewith a notch in its side in which the spreader lays a strand of the loopof thread ta ken from the hook to the needle.

15. A stitch-formingmechanism includ ing a needle, looper, spreader,actuating mechanism therefor, and a throat-plate having a tongue with anotch in its side; the needle having nieans above its eye for separatingthe thread from its body, and the looper having a hook to engage theneedlethread at the point'of separation; and the actuating mechanismcausing, the looper to take the needle-thread, and the spreader to takethe thread from the looper and carry it into the notch and over thetongue to the needle. 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN P. WEIS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. MOO. CHAPMAN,

MABEL B. HOARE.

